An overlooked arena of 1980s vehicles is the wild conversion van market. From plumber’s vans converted into mobile palaces to humble Toyota pickups transformed into mini motorhomes, this was a booming market for aftermarket companies just a few decades ago. This 1984 Chevrolet S10 is claimed to be one of just five modified in this fashion, which includes an expansive interior with captain’s chairs and a bed along with a lone gullwing door. I’ve never seen one before; have you? Find it here on craigslist near Milwaukee for $10,800.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find. Eat your heart out, Tesla Model X. I would much rather have this setup if I needed to own a vehicle with upward-opening doors, as it’s both more affordable and practical when you factor in what this interior can turn into. The seller doesn’t provide much info beyond mentioning it has a dually-style rear axle, so the evidence for the low production number claims is one we’ll have to verify independently. Still, you could have told me they made only one of these and I would have believed that as well.
Check that out – it makes me want to step right in and take the nap of the decade inside. Now, conversion vans can begin to look pretty funky inside after a while, but this one looks pretty clean. Mileage isn’t particularly low at 99,000, so someone clearly took care of this rare S10 conversion. Other photos show clean carpeting and a pop-up style coffee table. Ample daylighting is provided courtesy of the numerous windows, all of which come with curtains. There’s plenty of mood lighting as well along with a custom speaker enclosure above the rear bench.
Some of the decal kit is damaged on the right front fender, and while it may look like rust, I suspect this was a dark brown S10 underneath and the tan-colored decal that runs down the center and upper portions of the rear has disintegrated just enough to reveal the original paint underneath. The hood and the hubcaps are let-downs; the former for its odd primer-like paint and the latter for just not being nearly exciting enough for such a wild conversion. Overall, this is one of the cooler van conversions I’ve seen, and perhaps the only S10 built in such a way. Have you ever seen one?
That is crazy! At least they opted to the big V8 to haul all that weight. I would be curious to see how they stretched the frame. That’s one long wheelbase S10. So 80’s and so cool.
The ad has it as a 6 cylinder and what a mess in my opinion. Had to cost a fortune to manufacturer. With all that fiberglass would have made a better camper with a little headroom added. Otherwise it’s just a badly modified S10 with a conversion van interior. Just a crazy idea by some company that didn’t make any money with only 5 sold. The door is unique idea, not sure it’s practical. Will it open in a parking lot next to another vehicle?
You would use the two front doors for parking lots as you can walk from the back to the front of the truck inside. The gull wing door would be for the campground.
I meant to type V6 as a joke. I think the 2.8 had like 100hp or something minuscule.
Probably has the 4.3 liter V6.
“You would use the two front doors for parking lots as you can walk from the back to the front of the truck inside. The gull wing door would be for the campground.”
I don’t think so. There is a large console between the two front bucket seats! Would be pretty unpleasant for a geriatric passenger to have to climb over a console and a bucket seat to get out. And this is not exactly a campground vehicle, unless you don’t plan to cook, eat, use the bathroom, or do anything else other than sitting or sleeping.
I suspect this was originally intended more for use as a courtesy shuttle type vehicle (from hotel to airport, for example), rather than for a family’s aorund-town travels or vacation trips. The door is curb side, and would be very convenient if pulled up at the airport curb for drop off or pick up.
As to the crusty LEFT (driver’s side) front fender, looks to me like that is exactly what it looks like – rust. The truck body was very obviously white before this conversion was performed (see the door jambs, the edges of the front fenders under the hood, firewall, bottom of the hood, etc.), not dark brown. Also explains the white middle part of the hood — its the only outside part not painted over or taped over. Maybe there was a scrape on that fender at some point that allowed surface rust to start, and then the decals trapped moisture and promoted spread of the cancer. Who knows how or why, but it’s definitely not original brown paint peeking out.
Is it wrong to suggest a LS swap?
They made 5, you know, to keep up with demand.
They made 4 too many.
Dude that’s rust , please open your eyes.
An answer to a question, that nobody asked.
Driver’s side looks like a church bus puking up a truck cab.
Looks like a full sized GM van rear ended an S-10 and someone came up with this
I’d love to have this one if it were closer to me. Very tastefully done. The rust on the front fender doesn’t look to be to bad any competent body shop could fix that in a couple days at most. This one would be a fun traveler, and at todays gas prices a six would be more economical
Awesome looking van! I’ve never seen or heard of this conversion. I’d give it a Duramax 3.0 litre Diesel engine.
Milwaukee is 160 miles from this van. Almost anywhere else in Wisconsin would be closer. Wausau, Stevens Point, Green Bay, Rhinelander, Appleton, Oshkosh, Eagle River, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Dells, Iron Mountain, Eau Claire, Sheboygan, even Madison, to name a few.
Seen one once back in 85/86 going down the highway thought it was a RV and didn’t think much of it at the time
even with the rusty front fender……I like it! it would certainly be the only one at Cruise nights. repair the fender, put some high quality hubcaps on it and have fun. Hummmmm….I do have a complete set of Lincoln wire wheel hubcaps that would just set it off.
Room in the back.. for a blonde 👱♀️, redhead, and brunette with Stanley. 😎
I remember seeing one of these for sale online a couple of years ago along with a speedboat. It had the same body, but I think it had a normal side door.
I had an 85 S-10 with the 112 hp 2.8 liter. It couldn’t get out of its own way so this would be pitiful if that’s what is trying to move this. I ordered one with the 4 banger that luckily didn’t come in. That was a real turd. Interesting piece of history
limited application but good at that. Not much different thana station wagon as is developed right now. A long haul people mover. 7 – 10 member family? A ‘travel’ team (executives, others or sports) etc. BUT…
Who’d use those t r e mendous cut outs in the convertible table? R those for the popcorn bowls during the movie? Is this a wealthy ppl’s dog transporter and that’s where the water bowls go for the lill poochies? May B the ppl who ride’n sleep here have elephant sized slurp cups they store between guzzles? You’d need dualies for that crowd. Let’s C, ummm, 4 X 350 lbs = ah, 1400 lbsa peopleness…
I owned an S10 with the 4.3 V6. It was the most powerful small SUV on the market at the time. It had the pistons of a 350 V8 so torque was good.
Why the captain chairs right behind the front seats. Space could have been used for a stove, sink cabinets…